Perhaps … I’m just thinking out loud here … perhaps this is part of the over-analyzing trap. (See the discussion of Toby Keith’s religion here..) “This leads to that,” and slippery slopes and “thinking things through” and all the other delusions we heap on our poor overworked brains — as if we really know what leads to what, or how this will affect that.

To some extent we have to recognize the cultural influence of movies and songs and books and whatnot, and to some extent we should be concerned about those influences. But it’s also definitely true that some people need to take a chill pill and quit worrying about things so much.

Talkback x 3

I always particularly liked the way certain animals in The Lion King were supposed to represent (human) Africans.

Uhhh…. all the animals were African, weren’t they?

But it’s also interesting how selective the criticisms can be. I don’t remember hearing anything about the openly Pagan beliefs in Battlestar Galastica, do you? And those cute annoying little Ewoks were never accused of leading our children to some kind of animistic pantheism, were they?

On the one hand, I agree. I don’t think everything needs to be run through a list of “worldview tests” as though it’s a middle school function machine exercise.

On the other hand, a little animism here, a little paganism there, a little enviro-silliness here, a little whatever-else there — get enough of it, and you have an overriding cultural message on your hands. It’s not like you can’t trace stuff like that over time. I guess it’s good to have your radar on, but not set it too high, and not treat every blip as something that determines the overall quality of whatever cultural artifact you’re talking about.

Novels

What God Has Bent

John Matthews' pleasant, newlywed life is about to go completely sideways when his formerly pagan wife, Jillian, finally tells him the secret she's been keeping for years. The new threat to their marriage and their future sends both their life into chaos.

Pipe Dreams

Pipe Dreams is an urban fantasy / psychological thriller set in and around Washington, D.C. When John Matthews starts smoking his grandfather’s pipe (mysteriously obtained) he starts to see visions of his dead wife. Is he going insane, or has he discovered a dark family secret? Can John beat the forces that conspire to send his life into a downward spiral? And can he break the constraints of time and space and re-unite with his lost love?

The Hidden Village

Warring clans, a missing son, and a mysterious role-playing game at the center of it all. Geof Franklin gets the late-night phone call every parent dreads and learns that his son has been missing for weeks. As he relentlessly searches the city for Alek, he gets pulled into the orbit of a cult-like sub-culture of clans that live by their own rules and think nothing of killing anyone who stands in their way. To have any hope of reaching his son he has to keep digging, but he's digging himself into more and more trouble -- with the mysterious clans, and with the law.

The Intruder

Jeremy Mitchell is a refugee from a separatist, anti-technology community who is a fish out of water in the high-tech society of the 21st century. He recklessly plunges himself into his new environment and finds himself caught in a confusing web of technology and intrigue. Powerful forces try to make him a pawn in a contest between rival intelligence organizations, but he doesn't play along with their game and makes his own rules. His loyalties are tested by a budding love affair with a young college student, who, along with her computer geek girlfriend, are unintentionally pulled into the conflict. Paperback: $9.99Kindle: $2.99

Non-fiction

Beginner's Guide to Home Brewing

Maybe your spouse just bought you a brewing kit and you want to learn a little more about this home brewing thing. Or maybe you're just curious. If so, this is the book for you. There are a lot of details in brewing and sometimes it can get overwhelming. Beginning brewers often say they worry they're not worrying about the right things. That's why they need this book. The general rule is -- don't worry. There are a few things you need to pay attention to, but by all means, chill. Home brewing ingredients are so good these days that if you're moderately careful you can make really good beer at home. Without worrying.

Beginner's Guide to All-Grain Brewing

If you've tried basic homebrewing and are curious about all-grain brewing, this is the book for you. It's a quick and easy introduction to the essentials. It covers what you need to know without going into too much detail or the geeky specifics. It explains the basics about grains, what goes on in the mash and lauter tun, what you need to know about equipment and process, and provides practical tips, schedules and calculators to make sure you know how to brew your first all-grain batch.

Eggs are Expensive, Sperm is Cheap: 50 Politically Incorrect Thoughts for Men

When it comes to love, sex, dating and marriage, the world has gone crazy. The modern view is both stupid and destructive, but it's rarely questioned. It's thrown in our faces from every angle and has so infiltrated our culture that we don't even recognize it. We just breathe it in with the air. Eggs are Expensive, Sperm is Cheap asks young men to stop and think about it for a while, and presents a completely different view of how the sexes should relate. Available on kindle for just $2.99. (Note, this book was formerly titled "Before You Marry.")

Short Stories

The Head Game

Janet is a thoughtful, introspective geek with a ditzy friend who doesn't grasp the significance of the life-threatening mind game Janet has talked herself into.

Awkward Ollie and the Stolen Banana

Mix a weird boy who mutters, won’t stand up straight and has no friends, with a vindictive, nasty girl and what do you get? Spells, curses, trouble with the principal, detention, and … a trip to the hospital.

If you were in middle school you’d stay as far away from Awkward Ollie as you could manage.

The Smuggler

Allison Warren is a washed up lawyer who is trying to make a career as a female detective / PI. Her first case involves a college friend who got in over her head with some neighborhood toughs. The cover illustration is by my pal Jake Warrenfeltz. Get it now for $0.99.

The Security Breach

This is a very short story about a chief security officer at a government contractor. He's hauled before a panel investigating a sexual harassment complaint -- against him. While he's away from his desk somebody is taking advantage of the opportunity and hacking the company servers, which contain sensitive government information. Is the accuser in on the attack? Was the harassment claim part of a larger gambit? Get it now for just 99 cents!

Tales from Crow Hill

This collection of exciting short stories explores a wide variety of themes and settings. A patriarch is stuck in a world ruled by women. A murderer is troubled by a religious tract. A hat transforms a shy man into a chick magnate and lands him in trouble with the mob. A possessed woman struggles to find meaning to her life after her demon is cast out. A nightmare experience in the office. A "family values" guy caught in a sordid affair. A man who fathers a child on a witch. You never know what you'll find in Tales from Crow Hill. Get it now for just $2.99.

The Trilby

Shy Hans can't make any progress with the lovely Sara and is afraid to approach her, but then a mysterious hat gives Hans the skill and confidence of an experienced pick-up artist. As he learns how to use the hat he discovers that he has his choice of many beautiful women. Will Hans stay devoted to Sara? Is there a secret price that comes with use of the hat? And has Hans gone too far in dating the fabulous Julia, the girlfriend of a dangerous gangster? Get it now for just $0.99.

Patriarch

Sam is a patriarch caught in a world ruled by women. In this dystopian future, men can't go to college, work white collar jobs, or even own books. They do all the hard and dangerous work that keeps the economy moving, while a select few of the most gifted women rule society and lead ostentatious lives of privilege. Other women are left to breed. Sam isn't the kind of guy to take this lying down. Kindle: $0.99The cover art for this eBook is from delafo at fiverr.com.

The Inner Voice

Al knows exactly what Johnson is up to, and he isn't going to allow him to get away with it any longer. This human cancer has to be stopped before he ruins even more lives. Justice has to be done. But Al has to move carefully. Purchases for the job need to be discreet, and untraceable. He needs to learn how to make his own weapons that will leave no evidence at the scene of the crime. All the while, the tech guys at the office are watching, ... and Al wonders if he'll ever resolve his inner turmoil. Get it now for just $0.99.

Attack of the Tinkers

This is a collection of short stories based around the concepts in The Hidden Village, an (as-yet) imaginary game for city dwellers to play in their off hours -- at lunch or happy hour, or as they wander the city streets. The participants join a guild and compete with one another for members, points and territory. But there’s a secret purpose to the game that the players don’t know about. Get it now on the Kindle.